Avatar: The Legend of Korra Opinion Article

Why Episode 8 'Sucked' So Much

So quite a few people here seemed to hate season 4 episode 8. Whilst I agree that it wasn't the best, Bryke gave us a pretty good reason for that on their offical tumblr;

In a couple hours the eighth chapter of Korra Book 4 will be released online, and I suppose, if you are none the wiser, a few minutes into it you will feel duped and yell at your screen, “Hey! This is a crummy clips episode!” And that is (almost) exactly what it is––except we all worked really hard to make sure at the very least it isn’t crummy. I’m here to explain why we ended up having to do one. Sometime around a year and a half ago we were similarly duped on a large scale. We got the news from the higher-ups that our Book 4 budget was getting slashed, almost to the tune of an entire episode’s budget. We had two options: 1) let go a significant number of crew members several weeks early, or 2) make a clips episode. We never considered the first option. We weren’t going to do that to our crew, and even if we were callous enough to do so, we never would have been able to finish the season without them. But having grown up on TV in the ’80s and ’90s, we all dread clips episodes, where characters sit around saying, “Remember that time when…” and leftover footage is reheated for no one’s enjoyment. Anyone who suffered through TNG’s “Shades of Gray” knows what I’m talking about.

Anime fans know this is a common occurrence in Japanese series as well. In fact, as Mike hung his head in disappointment at our fate, I remembered how one of my favorite anime series, Samurai Champloo, made what I thought was a really awesome and clever clips episode. They mixed about 5 minutes of new footage in with the old, and set up a context where the characters would be reflecting on past events while narrating over them, offering new insights or at least providing some humor. I pitched this angle to Mike and he agreed this was the best way to turn this big old lemon into some lemonade.

Back on Avatar, we had something that functioned as a sort of clips episode, though it was all new animation and really hard to make, Episode 317, “The Ember Island Players.” Our heroes went to a play where they saw themselves and their tales performed by actors on stage. It was simultaneously a reckoning for the characters before they headed into the denouement, and a lighthearted romp where we got to poke fun at our own show before things got really serious in the remaining episodes. Korra’s “Remembrances” ended up serving the same function, albeit with old footage instead of a newly animated play. There is about 5 minutes of new footage, wonderfully animated by Studio Mir, and a bunch of funny and touching narration from the characters. There are also some fun chibi heads and other treats in there to spice up the old footage.

What started out as a reluctant chore ended up being a really fun episode to make, and in the end I truly love it. Mike did an awesome job directing it and storyboarding all the chibi hilarity, as well as overseeing the wonderful script by Josh Hamilton, Katie Mattila, and Tim Hedrick. Joaquim Dos Santos, Ryu Ki Hyun, and Lauren Montgomery drew fantastic storyboards for the new footage (particularly Lauren’s insane Varrick posing). Lots of other folks worked their tails off on this one, namely Amaris Calvin, our animatics editor; Christie Tseng, our character designer who drew and colored all of the final chibi art; Matt Gadbois, our After Effects editor; and Chris Hink, our final picture editor. Last but not least, Aran Tanchum and Vinny Guisetti on foley, Benjamin Wynn on sound design, and a stellar new score with all your favorite hits by Jeremy Zuckerman. And plenty of other fine folks I’m forgetting!

So now you know what it is and why it happened. I hope you do end up enjoying it after all, especially as a last lighthearted, nostalgic romp before POOP. GETS. REAL. And then the series is done.

Love, Bryan

In all honestly I think what they did was rather respectable. I mean how many companies when faced with a budget slash resort to letting their employees go? A lot. I think it was great of them to sacrifice one episode instead of half their crew.

7 comments

I'm sorry.... but they are casting the blame for that horrible episode on a budget cut only. They knew a year and a half in advance that their was a budget cut, yet they chose to do a clips show. That's all fine and dandy, but there is a way to PHYSICALLY WRITE a better show. They released slop..... that's not cool, and that is a disservice to the fans.
Better they would have taken a budget cut and shortened their episodes. There was no need for it. Or better yet, they actually write something that doesn't revolve around precious Mako and the love triangle, or Bo's photoshopped head on Korra's titan body.
Bryke should be ashamed of that nonsense they released. That was just ridiculous. Budget cuts do not affect GOOD WRITING. A good writer can effectively make or break a series.

They did say that they were only able to release five minutes of new footage. I think it would be difficult even for the worlds best author to come up with something story enhancing in a 5 minute time frame. I don't knowing a bout this stuff as I'm no cartoonist: but I would imagine that it has noting to do with the writing. They could have had the best writing around but without the budget for graphics and new art to be made there is no point. And Nick wasn't giving the the funds to get new art and effects. Money can make or break a series just as much as the writing in way of cartoons. Reason being; an author for a book very well can do what you said and sufficiently utilize a short word limit. Whereas a cartoon doesn't just rely on script but on the visual art and digital effects as well. And that's what got cut in the budget: art and effects. Sure they can write a new beautiful script but they'd still have to recycle old clips due to the budget cut.

^Hey since you're always about Great writing and coping with whatever obsticle comes why don't you do it?! Huh?Everything's easy on words but could you make a good writing filler story for 5 min?!Could you make/remake the show into something better?! He did what he thought was best and saved some people from being fired and he WARNED that the episode will be a dissapointment , so people didn't waste their time watching it.

^ ? Did you actually read this article or did you look at the title and assume I was hating on them. The title in itself was a play with sarcasm hence the 'quotations' around sucked. I am about great writing and coping with whatever obstacles come. And I do in fact do it, to the best of my ability. I specifically stated in my above comment; " I think it would be difficult even for the worlds best author to come up with something story enhancing in a 5 minute time frame." So I don't know where these assumptions are coming from. I also stated at the bottom of the article that I thought it was respectable that he chose to screw over the show and not his employees.

I should probably ask if you're even talking to me, I assumed you were because for one your comment is under mine and you only have one ^ symbol. If you weren't talking to me...lol never mind that first comment and carry on with your life.

There are so many ways I could have made that episode better. That would be all too easy. The problem is that they focused an excessive amount of time on Mako and his love life. They underplayed Masami's relationship.... as usual.... and of course made everything about Makorra and why Mako felt some deep connection to Korra. There was no need to spend ten full minutes on that. We should have had more time spent either on Korra's story, because hell, she's the main star..... or idk.... actually had Mako focus on his childhood past (using clips from the prior shorts of him and Bo on the streets), let Bo and Asami share their pasts/feelings, and shortened Varrick's movie.

I get pissed with these writers that deliberately use budget cuts as the sole purpose why their episode sucked. That doesn't cut it in my book. They squandered so many possible opportunities for this recap only to focus on their precious favorite and their forced Makorra bullshit. It's just ridiculous. I have no problem with a clip show.... I've seen some damn good ones that really wrap up what's been going on, add to the plot, and have 5 minutes of new clips. *cough SNK cough* (They were on a limited budget too and their anime is extremely more intricate than LOK)

Bryke had 5 minutes of funding for new clips: what did they waste it on? Clips of Mako and Wu boxing with Grandma Yin and Tu..... really? Was that necessary? Nope. They wasted money on photoshopping Bo's head and a villain phone call that was pretty stupid. They wasted money showing Asami bringing tea to Korra. And they even used money to put in chibis throughout the clips. That all costs money..... and you're trying to tell me they couldn't have done better than that?

Bryke just frustrates me..... they make poor decisions in execution and writing..... and this episode literally just trolled the fandom. It deliberately made fun of the fandom countless times.....and that's not cool. And I hate when Bryke says that their episode is " isn’t crummy. " Their constant narcissistic talk about how great they and their episodes are is why I'm critical. The episodes are not living up to their "standards" nor do they live up to any ATLA standards that the fandom had. And because of this low standard being produced...... Nick has to make cuts..... they're a business, and when a show isn't making money because its own fandom is deserting it, they have to make it an online show, cut it from their network, and cut away from its budget.